"Bad press" protagonist.
Is a citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and has lived, worked, and played within the tribe’s reservation most of her life. She has worked in nearly every aspect of print journalism. Ellis learned to read with a newspaper at the breakfast table with her grandfather, and the fascination never faded. By 2008, Ellis had performed every job imaginable, from throwing paper routes with her children in car seats to selling advertisements and covering local news.
She joined the Muscogee Nation News as editorial assistant in 2010 and returned to work for Mvskoke Media in 2018. Ellis became director of Mvskoke Media in 2020. Her personal story and fight to regain press freedom for the Muscogee Nation unfolds in the feature documentary, BAD PRESS,, which is co-directed by fellow Muscogee citizen Rebecca Landsberry-Baker and Joe Peeler. BAD PRESS premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival and received the U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Freedom of Expression.
Angel was the recipient of the 2023 True/False Film Festival True Life Fund Award, which raises awareness for the subjects of nonfiction film and honors those who share their stories in front of the camera.
She advocates for ethical coverage of Indigenous communities and serves on the boards for the Oklahoma Media Center, the Society of Professional Journalists FOI Committee and as treasurer of the Native American Journalists Association.
Through NAJA’s “Red Press Initiative”; Ellis and other Indigenous journalists are developing and delivering newsroom trainings to mainstream and tribal media, universities and students. RPI promotes free press, speech and information across “Indian Country.”
